NPO Saturn Lean department tallies up the results of its activity over the last 5 years focusing on a further improvement of the company’s industrial performance

Site news 23.12.2014

December 23, 2014, Rybinsk. - The Lean department of NPO Saturn (a company in UEC belonging to the Rostec State Corporation) summarizes the results of working on the industrial performance improvement over the last 5 years while focusing on institutionalizing Lean thinking throughout the company down the road.

The first step towards achieving excellence in the NPO Saturn production system was the approval of the NPO Saturn Lean manufacturing policy. That document has been integrated into the human resources policy of the company and from now on any candidate to a future managerial position must first demonstrate the Lean manufacturing competences and skills.The deployment of Lean at NPO Saturn is carried out through projects launched in a wave-like pattern. Throughout the year, 3 waves of the production system transformation occur each containing 5 - 7 projects.The main element of the NPO Saturn Lean department’s day-to-day activities is the overall implementation of the Lean tools allowing to visualize and eliminate the non-value-added operations and their source (such tools include 5S, an improvement suggestion submittal system and performance management based on the Shop Floor Management standard). But the most important task is to raise a critical mass of Lean-oriented managers. To be able to solve that task, back in 2011 NPO Saturn introduced a change leader population building program with a “Black Belt” and a “Green Belt” classification. Following the results of the evaluation of the production system of the companies within UEC administered in 2012, NPO Saturn entered the ranks of the four corporation’s leaders in the field of the production system development.In order to promote the Lean values and principles, the NPO Saturn Lean department regularly conducts seminars summarizing the results of the conducted project waves, announcing the new plans and presenting the best practices acquired in the process of the projects implementation.In 2013 the perimeter of NPO Saturn’s Lean transformations spread over to the company’s design bureau while in 2014 the NPO Saturn quality direction followed suite. The Lean offices set up in the company’s technical direction and the quality direction work on project implementation at the design bureau, the prototype production plant and at the technical inspection and quality management system division.In 2014 NPO Saturn started releasing a Lean-dedicated magazine for the Commercial Engines Division dubbed “TrampoLEAN towards success” which serves as a venue for exchange of experience on the Lean projects implementation between NPO Saturn and the two Perm-based companies: PMZ and Aviadvigatel. Since August 2014 NPO Saturn has introduced “Process factory”, a new business simulation. The utility of such training is that a person acquires hands-on skills and an understanding of the essence of the Lean tools in the conditions that simulate real-life conditions, which ultimately makes the process of introducing the newly acquired skills into their real operations much easier and quicker.According to Ilya Pautov, NPO Saturn deputy CEO for production system development, “the company pays a lot of attention to the process of Lean thinking formation. Per se, we are determined to capsize the traditional management system, in other words, create such a system in which the personnel will not only create value but will also think why it is done and how efficient this work is. We strive to achieve a state of mind in which every employee would associate his work not with a “pile of bricks” but rather with a “temple” that we are all building together.The NPO Saturn Research and Production Association (OJSC) is an engine-building company specialized in the design and development, production and after-market support of gas turbine engines for military and civil aviation, naval ships and power-generating plants and gas-pumping units. The association is part of the All-Russian public organization The Union of Russian mechanical engineers whereby the regional branch is headed by I. N. Fedorov, NPO Saturn CEO.NPO Saturn is part of United Engine Corporation (OJSC) and acts as the leader of the Civil Engines Division, a business unit of UEC founded on 09.10.2012 as a result of integration of the following companies: NPO Saturn (OJSC), Aviadvigatel (OJSC), PMZ (OJSC), Metallist-PM (CJSC), Energetik-PM (OJSC), REMOS-PM (CJSC), Motoservis-PM (CJSC) and Zheleznodorozhnik-PM (CJSC).

United Engine Corporation (OJSC) is a subsidiary of the OBORONPROM UIC (OJSC). The UEC structure integrates over 85% of Russia’s leading companies specialized in the design and development, serial production and after-market support of gas turbine machinery as well as the key enterprises - the industry’s integral players. One of UEC’s prioritized fields of activity is the implementation of comprehensive programs of development of the companies in the industry by introducing new technologies meeting the world-class standards.

The OBORONPROM United Industrial Corporation (OJSC) is a multi-field machine-building group created in 2002. It is part of Rostec. The main fields of activity are helicopter building (the Russian Helicopters holding), engine building (the UEC holding) and other assets.

The Rostekhnologii State Corporation (Rostec) is a Russian corporation established in 2007 in order to facilitate the development, manufacturing and export of high-technology industrial products of military and civil purposes. Today it comprises over 663 companies, which form 9 military-industrial and 5 civil industry holdings. Rostec’s subsidiaries are located in 60 regions of Russia and supply their products to over 70 countries worldwide. In 2013 revenues of the Corporation amounted to RUB 1.04 trillion, net profits were RUB 40 billion and total taxation exceeded RUB 138 billion.